Safety device eoe eailway-switches



W. J. BURKE.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION men SEPT 9. 1919.

1 ,324,725. Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

WITNESSES INVENTOR w'clBw-ke A T TORNE V8 WILLIAM JOHN BURKE, or votinesrown, OHIO;

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Application filed September 9, 1919. Serial No. 322,644.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM J. BURKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Safety Device for Railway- Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to safety devices for railway switches, and has reference more particularly to the combination with a track switch of a movable member adapted to be actuated by a wheel traveling on the track, and means for operatively connecting this member with a switch point, whereby when the member is actuated the switch point is forcedhome to a completely open or a completely closed position, according as its initial position is nearer the open or the closed position.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient safety device for railway track switches, which minimizes the danger of derailment at the switch, by insuring the complete closing or opening of the switch points, which can be readily applied to the present switch constructions in general use, and which does not add materially to the cost of the switch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety device of the kind in question which is strong and durable and capable of long service, which is completely automatic in its operation, and which is capable of a plurality ofadjustments to compensate for wear incident to its use.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of main track and of a switch showingmy safety device applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the device;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line Jr-4 of Fig. 1.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention I wish to point out that many of the details of construction form no part of the invention and may be varied in accordance with-individual pref-' erence and special conditions, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The safety device may be locatedion either side of the track, but where the track is curved I prefer to position it at the inside of the curve. Theprimary purpose of the device is to insure that the switch points shall, when the switch is operated, be completely forced home to either openor closed position, as the case may be. Should this not be the case, through accident or breakage, a derailment of a train passing over the switch is liable to occur. through wear, or from other causes, switch points are not always fully forced home when the switch is operated, and my safety device automatically obviates "such a possibility.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown a section of a railway track comprising the main track rails 10, carried in the usual manner upon crossties 11. I have also shown part of a switch rail 12, and the customary switch points 13 It will be understoodthat' and 14:, connected by a cross bar 15, so that 2 they will operate in unison. It will be understood that when the switch points are in the positions shown'in F ig. 1, the switch is closed and the main track is open. When the switch points are'moved transversely of the track, into the opposite positions, the

switch is open, and a. train may pass from the main track to the switch track, as is customary. I employ an operating member 16, consisting of an elongated, flat bar having its upper edge 17 beveled, as is clearly shown'in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Intermediate its ends, but nearer one end, the bar has a downwardly extending 'and upwardly bent U- shaped extension 18, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. One of the ties 11,

.near the switch, carries a plate 19 suitably set into the tie and extending under the rail 10. Mounted upon this plate is an upturned U-shaped frame 20, one arm 21 of whichis shaped to fit against the web of the rail 10, and between the base and the head thereof.

The other arm, 22, of the frame, and the the bar can rock upon the trunnion rod. Suitable nuts 24; and 25, d1sposed upon the rod 23, as is shown in Fig. 3, serve for the adjustment of the same, and to secure the rod in place. T he frame 20 is fastened upon the plate 21 and the tie, by means or screws 26, or in any other suitable manner.

It will be seen that the lever arms or the member 16 are of unequal length, so that it gravitationally assumes a normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, with one end projecting above the surface of the rail head, and so that its upper edge is normally at an angle with the surface of the rail head. Suitably to guide the operating member in its movement and to prevent any lateral play, 1 provide a guide block 27 formed to fit against the rail, under the head thereof and having a slot or groove 28 opening upwardly and receiving the operating member 16. This block permits the upward and downward movement of the member, but prevents any lateral play. At the opposite side 01" the rail is a backing plate 29, which, with the block 27, is secured to the rail by means of bolts 30 having nuts 31.

Suitable means are provided for transmitting the movement of the operating member 16 to the switch points. The means include a slide bar 32 having one end 33 rounded and threaded and received in a suitable opening of a connecting plate 34 and secured adj ustably thereto'by means of a pair of nuts 35. The adjusting plate is offset to it against the end of the switch point 13, to which it is secured by means of bolts 36. The slide bar extends transversely of the track and is mounted to move in a guide consisting oi a lower member 37 and an upper member 38. The lower member has a clownwardly disposed, offset 39, forming a stirrup in which the slide bar can move. The upper member 38 has an extension l0 projecting into the stirrup and serving to prevent any upward movement of the slide bar. The two members extend between two adjacent ties and are secured to the same by means of screws or bolts 41.

The operating member, at the end of its shorter arm, has a laterally disposed flange 4.2 provided with an opening. In this opening islocated a stud as, threaded to receive a locking nut 4-4:. At its lower end the stud is formed into a wedge 45. Between the wedge and the flange 42 are interposed a washer or collar 46 and a plurality of shims l7. The slide bar 32 has intermediate its ends a longitudinal slot 48 in which is posinae r325 tioned a stud a9 terminating at its upper end in a wedge 50 and having its opposite end threaded to receive a locking nut 51.

The wedges 4:5 and 50 are so positioned that they will cooperate as is shown in Fi 4. lVhen a train passes along the track, and a wheel thereof comes into engagement with the operating member, the latter is forced downward, carrying with it the wedge 45. This engages one side or the other of the wedge 50, depending on the position of the slide bar, and the co-action of the wedges forces the slide bar in one direction or the other, to force home the switch points to their final position. The direction of movement of the slide bar and of the switch points will depend upon their initial positions, which determine which side of the wedge 50 is nearer the wedge 45. g t will be understood that if the switch is only partly closed or partly open the further movement of the switch points depends upon which position they are nearer.

I have provided the upper edge of the member 16 with a bevel in order to allow for worn driving or other wheels. Sometimes, due to wear, such wheels have a distinct flange at their outer ed es opposite the usual inner flange.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In combination, track rails, a switch point, a member pivoted adjacent to one of said rails, a slide bar connected with said switch point, an upwardly projecting wedge adjustably carried by said slide bar, and a downwardly projectin adjustable wedge carried by said member, adapted to cooperate with said first-mentioned wedge and reciprocate the slide bar axially as said member is rocked about its pivot.

2. In combination, track rails, a switch point, an operating member pivoted adjacent to one of said rails, means for guiding said member, said means preventing lateral play of said member, a slide bar connected with said switch point, said member having a laterally disposed part, a wedge adj ustably carried by said member, and projecting clownwardly over said slide bar, a wedge carried by said slide bar and arranged to cooperate with the first mentioned wedge and reciprocate the slide bar axially as said member is rocked about its pivot, and means for guiding the movement of said slide bar.

WILLIAM JOHN BURKE. 

